


If-Then-Someday

by chick_with_wifi



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Episode: s04e11 If-Then-Else, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-22
Updated: 2016-09-22
Packaged: 2018-08-16 17:59:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8111983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chick_with_wifi/pseuds/chick_with_wifi
Summary: What if the Machine knew what was going to happen? What if She gave Root a plan? What if Root followed Shaw out of that elevator?





	

**Author's Note:**

> A million thankyous to [Thought](http://archiveofourown.org/users/thought/pseuds/thought/works) for the awesome beta and invaluable feedback.

“The buttons aren't responding!” Harold’s worried voice cut through the silence like a guillotine.

Root looked around the elevator searching for something that could help, a control panel maybe? She caught sight of a security camera in the corner and looked directly into it, silently asking the Machine for help. 

_“Override button,”_ She said through her implant.

“Going to need a little more than that,” Root mouthed silently, irritation seeping into her expression.

_“Go with Sameen.”_

As Root turned she noticed where Shaw was looking and her heart almost stopped. An override button - on the outside.

Feeling slightly as if she was in a fog and fighting her way out of it, Root found herself stepping forwards and physically grabbing Shaw by the arm, determined to make her stay. “Sameen, if you think I’m going to let you-”

Shaw wrenched herself out of Root’s grip and spun round, her face a mixture of resolve and was that...regret? Their eyes met and a thousand unspoken words passed between them in the space of a millisecond. “For God’s sakes,” she whispered and grabbed Root by the arms, dragging her forward into a rough kiss.

For a hot second Root’s head spun and she lost her grip on reality. How she longed to melt into the kiss, forget the outside world and lose herself in happiness. But something grated on her subconscious. A niggling feeling that this wasn't right. Initially she tried to dismiss it as the same thought she'd had again and again over the time she had known Shaw - that she was not the sort of person that deserved happiness or love. She had done too many bad things, a good end might be a privilege but love would be unattainable. Yet instead of going away the feeling intensified until it drowned out all the joy and exhilaration in her head. Everything that was happening rushed back to her in one horrific memory and a single thought filled her entire mind like a thousand alarm bells going off: Sam is going to sacrifice herself.

Realisation hit her like a freight train and she took control of her body, clasping Shaw by the shoulders and holding her tightly at arms length. “Together or not at all,” she whispered.

Shaw’s eyes widened for a brief second as her brain caught up with her senses then she pressed her lips together. “We don't exactly have time for this, Root.” Her jaw moved slightly as she ground her teeth together.

The Machine began reeling off statistics in Root’s ear that comforted and worried her at the same time. “She says if we go together the chances of us surviving are higher,” said Root calmly.

Shaw opened her mouth, then closed it again as she decided arguing with the two of them was not going to help anybody. “Fine,” she grumbled, taking her gun in her hand. 

Root felt a smile tugging at the corner of her lips but carefully kept her expression neutral. She could tease Shaw about giving in so easily later, after they both survived. And perhaps pick up where that kiss so abruptly left off…

Together, the pair rushed out into the corridor. Shaw pulled down the metal gate and kicked the hook at the bottom into place. Root raced over to the red button and slammed her hand onto it so hard it stung. The elevator juddered to life and began to move, taking the three boys and their terrified expressions out of sight. Somehow this made everything easier.

In the distance, gunfire echoed. Approaching, fast. Root and Shaw shared a look of understanding and resolve. Short strands of Shaw’s hair were falling into her face and she was breathing heavily and smiling in the sort of way where she was biting her bottom lip slightly. Root tried as hard as she could to remember everything about how those lips tasted and felt on hers.

“Together or not at all,” murmured Shaw. 

Even though there was nobody else around she made it seem so intimate. Root was ready to do whatever it took.

A single bullet flew past the two of them and whizzed off into the distance. Shaw was reacting before the breeze it made had even died down. Her gun was up at shoulder height and she was firing away, aiming directly at one of the Samaritan agents. 

Root reached into the waistband of her jeans and drew her two guns, easily taking down the lackeys either side of him. To be honest, they were probably there just to look scary. For so long Root had trained herself to work with a constant voice in her ear - until Samaritan came online and Her communications were strictly limited. It was only then, after everything that had happened, that Root found herself questioning whether the Machine was actually giving her directions at that point or if she had finally rewritten her own code and was analysing the situation herself with her brain was responding to her own instructions in the form of tones in varying pitches.

But now was not the time for that. In her peripheral vision Root made a mental assessment of Shaw’s body language to see if she was hurt, at the same time as checking to see how many more Samaritan agents there were. Three coming around the corner, Martine and Lambert among them.

Bodies and bullet casings littered the ground. Shaw staggered backwards, feet dragging across the floor. Root’s heart leapt into her mouth and started pounding so hard she felt it throughout her entire body, from her fingertips to her feet. Watching carefully, she clocked Martine’s little self-satisfied smirk and fired one quick, clean shot. The blonde woman collapsed to the ground. Just two men were left, one of which was Jeremy Lambert. 

Root dropped the gun in her right hand and traced her fingertips down Sameen’s arm and entwined their fingers together. The shorter woman gave her hand a quick encouraging squeeze and took down the second man. Just Lambert remained. “He’s all yours,” breathed Shaw without looking at her.

Root aimed her gun square at his forehead and fired. Nothing happened. “I’m out of bullets,” she said in a monotone. She felt a tingle in her shoulder and looked down, making a surprised mental note upon discovering she was bleeding. That will probably hurt later.

Lambert quirked one eyebrow up slightly and coolly fired a succession of bullets at Root’s center mass.

_“Push Sameen and move one meter to the left,”_ said the Machine instantly and Root obliged without really thinking about it, shoving Shaw hard enough to make her stumble then skidding to her left, kicking some of the debris across the floor.

A hail of bullets flew between the pair of them. When Shaw had caught herself, she quickly took aim at Lambert. “Damn it Root,” she grunted, discovering her own gun was empty and tossing it away angrily. It clattered to the floor, making Root flinch.

“Problem, ladies?” asked Lambert, temporarily pausing long enough to make a disdained face at them.

“No,” said Root. To Shaw she murmured, “I just need a moment.” In the disguise of stumbling from her injuries, she fell against the wall and held her side. With her other hand, she picked up the gun she had dropped earlier and fired at Jeremy.

For the first time they could remember, the corridor was silent. “What happens now?” asked Shaw.

Root shrugged. “I guess we go find the others.” She slowly stood and winced. “The world won't save itself.”


End file.
